This invention relates to packages for sterile articles and more particularly to a package of this type which avoids contamination of the article when it is removed from the package.
One of the problems with some prior art packages for sterile articles is that the removal of the article from the package causes it to become contaminated. For example, in the case of surgical devices, it is often desirable to open the package and drop the device out of the open end of the package onto a sterile field. Unless great care is taken, the device may contact the package at the edge of the opening, which edge can be contaminated by the exterior surface of the package resulting in contamination of the device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,173, a package is disclosed which allows an article to be removed from the package without contacting the edge of the opening. However, this package has a body section and an end closure section that must be severed transversely across an end and longitudinally along opposed sides of the closure section. Then, the parts of the closure section are peeled back to expose the opening in the body section through which the article is removed. Thus, this package has the disadvantage that it requires a rather complicated opening procedure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,902,146, a sack containing the article is disposed within a casing. The casing is transversely severed, the sack removed from the casing, and the article then removed from the sack. A disadvantage of such a package lies in the fact that it requires removal of an internal sack from a portion of the casing and then removal of the article from the sack, thus providing a rather complicated removal procedure.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,031, an article is disposed in a wrapper having a separate closure cap, with a wrapper and the cap disposed within an envelope. An end portion of the envelope is severed to provide an opening and the package is manipulated to push the closure cap and an end portion of the wrapper through the opening in the envelope. The cap falls off the wrapper after the open end of the wrapper is beyond the open end of the envelope. The wrapper is then deformed into substantially tubular form so that the article may slide out of the wrapper. This package has the disadvantage of requiring a cap which adds to the number of parts and increases the cost of assembling the package. The removal procedure is complicated by the fact that the end portion of the envelope is removed, an inner container then moved relative to the envelope to drop the cap, and then the article must be removed from the inner container.